Whispers of the Heart
by Tayjena
Summary: A shadow waits in the dark, but for what? Or more importantly who? And how will everyone's lives change if that person shows up?
1. Chapter 1

Title: Whispers of the Heart

Author: Tayjena

Pairing: [ZackxTifa]

Warnings: Slight AU, Language, Ghost, angst, sap, possible spoilers

Disclaimer: I'm broke and in no way, shape, or form own anything dealing with Final Fantasy VII

Summary: A shadow waits in the dark, but for what? Or more importantly who? And how will everyone's lives change if that person shows up.

Chapter 1

A young man with blue eyes and unruly black hair sighed heavily, leaning even more against the brick wall behind him, seemingly waiting for someone. Yet in his eyes it was apparent that he almost knew whomever he was waiting for was never going to show.

And yet he remained ever vigilant.

He laughed softly to himself as he thought of the city he was standing in. Of a person he'd once tried to race back to this very place to see at one time.

Of course that wasn't who he waited for with longing hope now.

No, he could now see that one whenever he wanted. Who he waited for now, he wanted to see with even more desperation than he had had when he'd been on his way to Midgar to see the first.

A brunette with hazel eyes walked into the area, she looked slightly out of place in that part of the sector, with her tight white top that barely covered her chest, leaving her mid-section revealed, and a short black skirt and a pair of red sneakers. Her hands sported a pair of red leather gloves pulled over satin armlets.

Tifa didn't know why she was there, why she'd left her bar. Yet something had drawn her to this spot.

She had been thinking about a day several years ago, when she'd said something she now regretted. Not that what had happened had anything to do with what she'd said, but she hadn't wanted that to be the last thing she'd ever said to him. She hadn't meant it, hadn't hated him; Sephiroth, ShinRa, SOLDIER, yes, but not him. She's just been angry and he was there and he'd taken the blunt end of it.

She'd actually liked him and after what had happened, after what she's said, he'd tried to help, to fix it.

And the moment she'd begun to think of all this something, her heart, had told her to come to this place and hadn't been able to stop her feet from coming here.

She looked around wondering what had brought her here. It wasn't where she'd expected to end up. In the middle of Midgar was the last place she'd thought of going for even a possible chance to see him. As her heart had guided her and her feet had moved, her mind had thought of the hill with the sword.

He blinked when he saw her approaching, and took an involuntary step backward into the shadows. Though he'd waited in this place for her to come so many times he'd lost count, he couldn't believe it. He was always sure she was never going to show up and yet…

She was just as beautiful as the last time he'd seen her.

"Bout time you showed up," said a smug voice behind her, "I've been waiting here forever."

Tifa jumped and spun around when she heard it. It couldn't be possible. Certainly it was the last voice she'd expected to hear; even if it was the one she longed for.

Champagne met azure as she stared at him. "What are you talking about?"

"I thought you'd never show. But I still waited here; hoped."

Slowly he moved out of the shadow of the building toward her. His arms wound around her as soon as she was within reach, warming her skin, causing it to tingle.

"This isn't really what I expected. I thought there'd be… I don't know… Flowers."

"Not really my style." He chuckled.

She smiled but was still confused as she looked around them, watching people pass them by. "How are you here? You're…"

"Let's not linger over details right now." He interrupted her, grinning.

Her hands moved lightly over his back, tracing over muscles. As her eyes closed, his arms tightened around her waist and her head fell against his shoulder.

"So," he stepped back releasing her, his fingers sliding down her arms to take her hands. He lifted them and brushed his lips over the knuckles. "Why don't we get outta here and find some place quieter?"

Her lips curled upward and she drew her hands from his. "Same old Zack."

"You betcha." He winked at her, a cocky grin on his face.

It was late, most places were already closed, or about to and if they did go somewhere and someone recognized him… How would they explain his seeming return from the dead?

Tifa herself still wanted an answer to that one.

"There's no one at my place right now." She said nervously, her voice quivering slightly.

"Your place huh? That's better than I could have hoped for."

"Don't get any ideas." She punched his shoulder. "I just don't want to be seen walking around with a dead guy."

"What makes you think anyone else can see me?" he smirked at her.

"Oh great! So I've been talking to and hugging someone no on..."

His chuckle interrupted her. "Kidding. They can see me as clear as you can." Though it was childish, Tifa stuck her tongue out at him, he just laughed. "Need me to prove it?" He glanced around; looking for someone, hopefully a woman just to spite her, to prove to her he was really there.

"No. I get it. You're here." She practically growled at him, knowing he was looking around for a pretty girl to flirt with just to prove his point. Death really hadn't changed him at all. "How is that anyway?"

He shook his head. "Later babe." He took her hand. "So your place?"

Seventh Heaven was exactly as Tifa had said it would be; empty. Everyone had vacated on Tifa's earlier request to be alone. She'd waned the alone time to reflect on thoughts about the man she'd entered with, thoughts that seemingly had led her to find him. Though she wasn't alone she was glad nonetheless about how it had all turned out.

Zack sat on the couch, Tifa lying across it, her head in his lap with her eyes closed as he ran his fingers through her hair. He was still dodging her question of how he was there in the living world and for the last ten minutes she'd resorted to giving him the silent treatment.

"Oh come on Teef!" he exclaimed, "After all this time all you can think to talk about is how I'm here?"

She rolled onto her back, staring up at him. "Sorry! But it isn't everyday I meet a man that's been dead for years in an alley."

"Ha!" he laughed, "got you to talk to me."

"Oh you!" Her fists clenched.

He chuckled. "And when did I become your pillow?"

"Fine." She ignored his question. "You want me to say something else then I will. I'm sorry."

Blue eyes stared into hers. "Not exactly what I was hoping for, but," His tone was serious, "Teef there's no…"

This time she interrupted him. "For what I said last time; I didn't mean it and I'm sorry."

"There's no reason for this. You were angry and injured." Her continued as though she's never said anything.

"I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"There's nothing to forgive."

"I just needed to say it. For my own sake." _For my heart. _She thought to herself. He lifted her from the couch, setting her in his lap while his arms then folded around her. "It's not how I felt. It wasn't until later I realized…"

"I know." He whispered kissing the top of her head.

"How I felt." She hadn't heard him. "But by then it was too late and then I hated you for leaving. For picking up that sword and going up those stairs. For disappearing. And then for dying. For leaving me."

"Teef."

"But then you brought him back and I forgave you."

"But you haven't forgiven yourself." His fingers ran lightly over her arm. Her head was on his shoulder and now her body was shaking with silent tears.

Zach turned and glanced out the window, as he continued to hold her until the shaking subsided. He didn't say anything, waiting for her instead.

She drew a deep breath. "You're a good friend, Zack. I missed you."

"I know." He said.

She was tired, suddenly this all seemed like a long dream. She leaned against him, her head becoming heavy, her eyes closed and her breathing slowed.

He grinned and shook his head. Carefully, his arms still around her, he got up from the couch and carried her up the stairs. Her room was the last door down the hallway. He took her inside and kicked the door shut, then set her gently on the bed.

Her hand shot up and grabbed a hold of him. "Stay." She pleaded, half asleep.

The grin on his face widened and he lay down beside her. Her hand found his and her fingers curled around it. His fingers combed through her hair as he watched her drift to sleep.

He was there for hours, just watching her. And then the sun began to rise and shone brightly through the window. The hand running through her hair began to fade. First it was transparent and then it disappeared complete. Sighing he moved forward and touched his lips to her forehead.

"Sleep sweet Tifa."

The rest of him slowly began to vanish as well, the last part of his body to disappear as the sun rose higher was the hand she clung to.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Whispers of the Heart

Author: Tayjena

Pairing: [ZackxTifa]

Warnings: Slight AU, Language, Ghost, angst, sap, possible spoilers

Disclaimer: I'm broke and in no way, shape, or form own anything dealing with Final Fantasy VII

Summary: A shadow waits in the dark, but for what? Or more importantly who? And how will everyone's lives change if that person shows up.

Chapter 2

A soft knock on the door, raised Tifa from her sleep the next morning. She tried to fight it off, not wanting to wake. The door creaked open and a soft voice called to her. It sounded concerned; she must have over slept.

Her hand curled, expecting to close on the strong, warm hand that it had held during the night.

It collapsed around itself, her fingertips touching her own palm.

Her eyes shot open, searching. She sat up looking around the bed for the man she'd fallen asleep next to.

But he was gone.

Had it all been a dream?

Sighing, she glanced up and found blue eyes. Eyes that were similar to those she'd spent the night staring into, but these eyes were staring at her with concern instead of smiling, twinkling with laughter, eyes that held a secret she wanted to know, and then the tousled blond hair above them threw the image into sharp contrast the differences between them.

"Tifa? You weren't downstairs. Are you alright?"

"Yes. I'm fine. I just had a late night." She stretched. "Give me a little bit and I'll be right down."

Cloud looked at her, moving further into the room instead of leaving. "So you had a good night then?"

She took a deep breath and smiled, nodding at him. "Yeah, I did." It was true. Whether it had been a dream or Zack had really been there with her, she wasn't sure yet, but she did know without a doubt, that it had been a good night and she felt great.

"Well, I'll see you downstairs then?"

Tifa nodded once more and waited for him to leave before climbing off the bed and getting ready for a new day.

Once she'd showered and dressed, Tifa went downstairs. While she was in the shower, she'd thought it through and concluded that last night had all been a dream. She'd fallen asleep thinking about Zack and her subconscious had then produced a dream about him. It was the only thing that made sense, since people that were dead didn't just show up in the real world and because he wasn't there when she'd woken up. She was a rational person after all, and if she believed that he was really there, well then she had to admit that she might have been going crazy.

The only part of her theory that didn't make sense was that she didn't remember going to bed. She had no idea how she'd gotten upstairs and to her bed. But it didn't matter, it had been a dream and that was it. Zack was dead and he wasn't coming back.

She went through the motions of the day as normal, if even a little lighter and happier. Though a part of her couldn't stop thinking about last night, about Zack. Real or her imagination, he'd looked good. _Really good, _she thought to herself.

Smirking she tired to image what he'd say if he knew she thought this.

"But then again, he always did look good." She said out loud.

Those in the room looked up and stared at her, causing her cheeks to turn pink and make her wonder why in the hell everyone she knew had chosen that night to come to the Seventh Heaven.

"Wat was that Teef?" Barrett asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Ah." She shook her head, looking around the full bar and turned away from them, staring at the bottle-filled shelves behind the counter. "Nothing, nothing." She felt eyes boring into the back of her skull. Turning slightly she found red eyes that flashed with amusement for a spilt second before it was gone as she found Vincent's face. Of all the nights for everyone to be there! Swallowing, she picked up a damp rag from the sink and began to wipe off the counter. With this action she was aware of more eyes watching her and busied herself by scrubbing at a nonexistent spill on the counter.

Cloud walked over and took his normal seat at the bar in front of her.

Not being able to pretend to clean the same spot with someone hovering over her, seeing there was no spill; Tifa began to move the cloth over the rest of the bar.

"You alright?" He asked tentatively. Cloud watched her. He'd never seen her like this before and he'd never known her to blurt things like that out.

"Yeah." She smiled, looking up and finding his eyes. Her eyes held his gaze, locking onto that part of his face that was so similar to the one she was thinking about. "I feel great."

"So uh," He shifted nervously on the stool, "what did you do last night?"

Keeping eye contact, she considered her answer carefully. She didn't want to lie to him, but she wasn't exactly sure how to put it.

"Well I," She faltered slightly. How could she tell him she'd dreamt about or spent the night – she wasn't completely convinced it had been a dream, it had been too real to just be a dream – with his dead best friend. "I saw an old friend and we talked." She stated simply, deciding this was the best way around the situation and shrugged her shoulders. "We caught up and it was great. I had a good time."

"Oh. And that's who looked good?"

"Ah." The blush returned to her face and she broke eye contact. "Yes."

Then she saw it, the smallest flash of jealous sprang across his face.

Before last night she might have given anything to see that look on his face. Seeing Zack though had stirred up old emotions and seeing it didn't cause the sort of reaction she'd thought it would. Instead she had to resist the urge to laugh at him.

"Do I know this friend?" He asked her softly.

Tifa chuckled, amused, as another glimpse of jealousy flashed across his face. She looked back into his eyes and smirked. "Yes, you do." Not waiting for a response she tossed the dishrag into the sink and walked out behind the bar to wait on her patrons, leaving Cloud staring after her bewildered.

Later, when she was serving drinks, Tifa got the feeling that she needed to be somewhere again. Her eyes moved to the window, the sun had just completely set.

Of their own accord, her feet started to carry her out from behind the bar and toward the door. It took every once of strength and willpower she had to stop herself and keep herself there until closing time.

Quickly, she glanced around. The place was empty. She ran over to the door, pulled it open with one hand and flipped the close sign with the other. Stopping only long enough to make sure she locked the door before she left she ran into the ruins of Midgar with a burst of speed.

Suddenly she was extremely grateful Elymra had taken Marlene and Denzel for the night.

She reached the place from the night before, panting slightly from running the whole way. She really didn't know what she expected to find there. After all it had all been a dream, a dream to clear her conscious of what she'd said all those years ago.

Right?

Still she looked toward the alleyway.

And standing there, leaning against one of the buildings, enchanting blue eyes staring at her and a sheepish grin on his face, was Zack.

"Zack…" She said in a breathless whisper.

He moved toward her his arms moving around her once again.

It was too much for Tifa. Her head began to spin. Having believed the night before had all been a dream had been the only way she'd been able to cope with the sudden appearance of the long dead SOLDIER.

But having his arms wrap around her in another warm embrace…

Once was a dream.

But twice?

Tifa suddenly went limp. Luckily those arms were really around her.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Whispers of the Heart

Author: Tayjena

Pairing: [ZackxTifa]

Warnings: Slight AU, Language, Ghost, angst, sap, possible spoilers

Disclaimer: I'm broke and in no way, shape, or form own anything dealing with Final Fantasy VII

Summary: A shadow waits in the dark, but for what? Or more importantly who? And how will everyone's lives change if that person shows up.

Chapter 3

Zach carried Tifa to the door of Seventh Heaven. Carefully balancing her in his arms, he reached out to test the door knob. Finding it locked, he shifted Tifa, supporting her against his chest with one arm while his free hand searched through the pockets of the black shorts she wore for the key, a smirk on his face the whole time.

Then his fingers touched the cool metal and curled around it, pulling it out and pushed it into the lock. He turned it then opened the door. Moving Tifa back to hold her in both arms, he went inside, shutting the door with his foot, being mindful to relock it.

Walking through the bar, he found the sitting room in the back they'd sat in the night before.

Gently, he laid her down on the couch. He smiled down at her and brushed a piece of brown hair out of her face.

Leaving her there for a moment, he went back to the bar. First, he walked along the wall, running his hand over it to find a light switch. Once the lights were on, he went behind the bar and dug around for a clean washrag. He turned to the sink, turning the cold water tap; he held the rag under the faucet and wet it. Shutting off the faucet he walked out from behind the bar and, turning off the lights first, returned to Tifa in the other room.

He kneeled beside the couch and lightly pressed the rag to her forehead.

Tifa stirred slowly to a cool sensation against her forehead. She groaned softly. Her head felt like it was swimming. At first she couldn't remember what had happened. Then faintly, it started to come back to her.

She'd seen Zack.

But that wasn't possible.

Pressing her hand to the cloth on her head, she groaned again and then heard a chuckled next to her.

"What happened?" she asked groggily.

A gruff voice answered her. "You passed out in my arms." _That voice_…! She thought. She shot straight up, her eyes wide and she could hear the cocky grin on his face as he proceeded to laugh. "Didn't know I could have that kind of affect on you."

"Oh holy…" She stared at him. "How…?"

He rolled his eyes and moved up onto the couch behind her. "Come on Teef. You didn't act like this last night. Though I have to say I don't mind having a beautiful woman faint in my arms."

She shook her head, ignoring his comments. "I tried. You refused to answer…" Blinking she shook her head again. "But last night… That was just a dream…"

"Well I know I'm dreamy and all but…" suddenly her fist connected with his jaw, his hand came up to rub it. "I'm hurt." He finished.

She looked at him. "Ok… if this all isn't a dream, and I'm not losing my mind… I'm not am I?" a slight shake of his head and she found herself letting out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. "Will you please tell me what's going on?"

"Okay, okay." He leaned into her and rested his hand against her cheek. "I don't really know." He reached behind him and scratched the back of his head in a way that was all too familiar to her even if the current source of the gesture was different.

He had to duck out of the way as she threw another punch at him.

"Wha!? What do you mean you don't know?"

"I don't." He shrugged. "All I know is that for a week every month since I passed I get a corporal body and come back and wait in that spot."

"For me?" Though she already knew the answer to this, she asked.

He nodded.

"But why?"

His thumb rubbed over her cheek. His shoulders shrugged again. "All I know is you were unhappy and I wanted to fix it."

Cinnamon eyes filled with liquid. "Zack…" Tears spilt over her cheeks. Normally she wouldn't allow herself such a luxury as crying and not in front of him of all people, but she was so overwhelmed, she couldn't stop the drops from rolling down her face. "Then why didn't you just come find me?"

Straightening up, he threw his hands in the air. "I tried! Believe me. Over and over again. But whether I tried to leave that alley alone or with anyone else, I couldn't do it. I'd walk away and I'd lose this body. Course that scared away every woman I tried to pick up." He caught the roll of her eyes and this time he easy caught the fist she sent his way. "But then I realized I just need to wait for the right one to come. The one I was there for. Honestly though I never thought you'd really show up."

"That's sweet," It was really hard to believe something like losing his body would stop him from being himself. "But I really doubt you stopped flirting with everyone that passed just cause you were waiting for me."

"You're right." He said cheekily. "I just stopped trying to go anywhere with any of them."

Tifa sighed and rolled her eyes once more. "Guess that's the best I could hope for coming from you."

His hand started to move from her cheek, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear, and with a feather light touch, his callous fingertips slipped gently down her throat causing an unfamiliar, -if pleasant- sensation to fill her and cause her to shiver. Then his hand curled around the back of her neck.

"But how come you left last night? Why didn't you stay?" Her voice was shaking. She was surprised she'd been able to speak at all. What was wrong with her? How could he cause her to feel like this?

It was his turn to sigh and his hand dropped as he looked in her eyes. "I didn't want to. I wanted to stay with you, but it only last from dusk til dawn."

That seemed to snap her back to her senses and the moment of pleasure that had filled her faded. Her face dropped. "So… From sundown to sunup, one week a month...? That's not fair… And so cruel…"

"I'm hoping it's not a permanent condition." His hand moved back to her neck, his thumb caressing down her throat.

"So I have to come there every time? I gotta tell you Zack, I don't know if I can do that."

His fingers massaged her neck. "I don't know. I have no clue what the rules are now that you found me. I just waited tonight out of habit. Maybe tomorrow I'll come myself." He grinned. "Plus I knew you thought it was a dream, so I figured it'd be better to wait and see if you came back. And I didn't know how anyone else would take to me walking in here."

She nodded slowly then:

"You knew I thought that?"

"Yeah. Guess it's because during the day I'm back in the Lifestream and I can hear whenever someone is thinking or dreaming," he smirked, "about me."

Her face turned a nice shade of pink. He chuckled at her as his thumb brushed over her cheek.

Zack leaned closer to her and met her eyes once more. Her face so close he could feel her warm breath. Tifa closed the distance between them, before he knew it, touching her lips softly against his.

Her lips were soft and warm under his. In the second it took for the surprise to disappear and his senses catch up and start enjoying the kiss, she broke it and was standing up.

He blinked and moved to follow her. "What gives?"

"The bar." She said blankly as though this explained everything. He stared at her, not following. "I left in such a rush, I didn't even clean up." Without a second glance back at Zack, she practically ran from the room into the bar.

Zack stared after her completely dumbfounded.

Tifa sighed as she flipped on the lights over the bar. She shook her head slightly as she roamed about picking up empty glasses and bottles. Taking them behind the bar she set the glasses on the sink and threw out the bottles. She went back to make another round, picking up her serving tray so as to carry more.

She felt horrid for leaving Zack back there after what she'd just done, but she needed a moment to cope with what was going on, to make some sense of it, and to figure out what had just come over her and get herself back under control.

Every night for a week a month? How could they have any sort of relationship like that?

Obviously she wanted one with him; after all she had just kissed him. And she admitted she had feelings for him, at least to herself.

"Teef." The voice came from behind her. He moved over to her. "That was a bit mean."

"Sorry." She finished picking up the glassware and took the filled tray back behind the bar.

Zack followed her and stood behind her, setting his hands on the curves of her hips.

She suppressed a shiver that was anything but unpleasant. "Zack…" Her voice was shaking, "if you're going to be back here then you could at least help me…" Steeling herself, she slipped out of his hands.

He let her go, his hands fell on the sink and he clenched his fist around the edge so hard, his knuckles turned white.

"Why?"

"Well it's your fault in a way that this place is still a mess. I did rush off to see you." She called back as she straightened up chairs and wiped off tables.

"No. Why'd you kiss me?" Despite himself, he began washing the glasses for her.

A glance back toward the bar almost made her lose her resolve. But with everything she had to deal with –running an unconventional family, a bar, being a guardian to two young children- she couldn't deal with a relationship with a guy that would barely be there.

"I'm a catch." Zack said turning to her, the grin once more on his face. "I could have any woman I want."

"Except for the part where you're dead."

"Why'd you do it if you were just going to pull away?"

"Zack." She bit her lip in a nervous habit. "This is just a bit much for me."

"It's not the easiest for me either Tifa."

She'd hurt him, and she knew it, she could hear it in his voice and after he'd been waiting for her for years.

They spent the next hour in silence as he cleaned behind the counter and she cleaned the rest of the bar.

"Thank you." She said softly once they were finished and she moved over to the counter.

"Yeah." His voice was dead.

She flinched at the sound. "Zack, I really did need to clean up."

"Why'd you kiss me?"

"You already know."

"I'm irresistible, I know." He turned the cocky smile back on his face and blue eyes almost a violet hue. "I want to hear you say it."

"You do know, don't you? How I feel about you?"

"Yeah."

"I like you Zack, a lot."

Zack moved around the bar setting his hand on hers. "We can make this work Tifa."

Her flesh burned where it was in contact with his. She looked up at him."

"It's weird, I know Tifa, but I'm here for you."

She nodded slowly.

"It's clean now. Should we pick up where we left off?" Dark brows wiggled at her, causing her to giggle.

Taking her hand in his, he pulled her from the bar back into the sitting room, they'd previously occupied. He moved to the couch, and set her down in his lap, folding his arms around her waist. A rough hand lifted her chin and bent his face down while his lips found hers. His hand trailed up her spine and gently back down again as his other hand curled around her neck.

She drew back from him and he groaned. "What are you blowing me off for this time?"

A grin on her face she glanced out the small window. "It's almost sunrise."

"Ah shit…"

She shifted to lean against the couch and pulled him closer to her, touching her lips to his once more.

Beams of light slowly began to pour in from the window, Zack slowly fading away into them.

Waking up without the use of an alarm clock, Cloud rolled out of bed. Then he took a quick shower and was dressed before the sun was completely up.

Heading downstairs, he heard voices from the room behind the bar. He moved up and pressed his ear to the door, listening to them.

"See you tonight then?" That was Tifa's voice, sounding slightly out of breath. He'd never heard her sound quite like that.

"You betcha babe." Came a hauntingly familiar laughing voice. "You should get some rest." And then it was quiet.

Cloud pushed open the door and froze on the spot. Tifa was sitting on the couch, her cheeks slightly pink and standing over her for a brief moment, clad in a black SOLDIER 1st class uniform, his body completely transparent, was Zack, grinning and waving at him.

TBC


End file.
